Code Lyoko: The Deum Chronicles
by Lil'Manuel.G
Summary: There are worlds slightly different from our own. This is the tale of one of them.
1. Introduction

Introduction

Twenty-one years… For twenty-one years it had remained the same. Twenty-one years of life and the world around me had hardly seemed to changed. The morning traffic would proceed running through the cold damp streets as the sun slowly rise from the depths as a cool breeze trickled to the winds.

High above a tower, I watched. The peaceful morning had quickly been tainted with dreadful boredom as the sands of time ticked away. No intelligent mind would ever dare walk upon these pavements. Neither a student nor teacher would ever even speak of these forsaken streets for there was nothing… Nothing other the cold memories of one's shattered past.

Even a place such as this… A place crowded with buildings, whether they be old or new, are always filled with the emptiness of one's broken dream. Everywhere I had gone had the same sensation, each with a sadden tale while others were darker than the blackest shadows.

However, little did we know that the world's forgotten past had begun to tighten its noose as even death itself can't be halted. As the wheels of fate turn, so do they.

I am your narrator, your guide, your storyteller.

Good memories and bad nightmares…


	2. Chapter 01

_Chapter 01: Un Monde Sans Danger_

Deep within the confines of my bedroom I, Manuel Guzman, slept. However, as I did I would dream. Sadly, every dream would be a terrible nightmare from my childhood. A childhood that no longer tormented me. Even though I had lived such a dull existence, I knew that deep down that both my body and spirit would never be at peace within this horrible world that we call reality.

I awoke from my slumber and proceed to go into a sitting position in the small confines of my bed. I gazed upon the open window that was before. My life had always been the same.

For as long as I could remember, I did nothing but repeat. For me, everyday is the same. Nothing happens, nothing changes. I go to school, I go home. Also, no matter what accomplishments I've done in this demented reality, I would always be shunned by others without ever knowing the reason.

I continued to gaze out the window as endless flow of thoughts dulled my senses. Without warning my television that I had recently fixed had somehow managed to turn itself on. The static screen displayed a strange symbol for a brief moment before emitting a pure white light that was bright beyond the heaven's might.

As I became blinded, a strange sound quickly shattered the silence as the light completely engulfed the room. I groan in pain as the unmerciful sound began increasing in volume making any attempts to block it out impossible. For several minutes I endured the madness while slowly losing my sanity but just as it began it suddenly halted.

Slowly, my eyes began to regain their focus but as they did an intense burn would consume my sockets. It was not just my eyes, my whole body was also in tremendous pain. Luckily, I've grown accustomed to such physical pain as I was forced to adapt throughout my cruel dull life.

With the pain ceasing, I then took notice of my surroundings. Everything now appeared to be in three-dimensional, which would normally be seen within a computer of some sorts. I slowly began to realize that I was somehow transported into a virtual world which looked nothing more than a frozen artificial wasteland. However, my present location seemed familiar to me as if I seen this place before.

Suddenly, questions started to flow endlessly through my mind like an uncontrollable wildfire as I could not decide which to answer first. I manage to clear my thoughts as I took notice of my appearance upon a reflection off a thick wall of virtual ice.

I had on a black-crimson armor with a violet belt that had a jewel on it. I also had on a full-head mask with my symbol. However, I had a sword that was bundled up with my belt as well as a strange pair of arm-gauntlet that were on my forearms with both having a jewel.

Quickly, my body went numbed as a frozen chill crawled up my spine with my breath seemingly ceasing as I uttered the word, "Lyoko…"

Sadly, my shocking discovery was short lived as a familiar face appeared before me. A strange sphere-like creature with many bizarre eye symbols upon its side took aim at me. Without warning the sphere opened, firing a beam that was in a 2-D vertical angle.

"Crap!" I said as I jumped to the side to allow the beam to pass. "Dammit. My first fight on Lyoko and I get a damn megatank as an opponent."

I drew my sword as the megatank charged at me. I let out an evil chuckle as its speed increased. I quickly moved to the side just as it was close enough and thanks to its momentum the megatank propelled off the edge and to its death.

"Idiot," I said as I sheathed my sword. "Now to find that tower. There's no way that a meagtank would appear if Xana wasn't launching an attack."

As I raced to the tower, a battle was currently taking place with a horde of several monsters guarding the tower.

"Oh man, they just keep coming," said Odd as he and Aelita took cover behind a wall.

Not far from them, Ulrich and Yumi were isolated from Odd and Aelita as they struggled with Tarantulas and Krabs. "I hope William can handle things at school," said Ulrich as he took down several Krabs.

"He's doing find for now," said Jeremie as he could do nothing but watch as his friends struggled. "But if we don't deactivate that tower then William will be done for."

The group continued to push forward to gain entrance to the tower, but little did they know that a monster was slowly advancing towards Aelita just as Odd got devirtualize. Both Ulrich and Yumi attempted to reach her but were forced to deal with four megatanks that prevented their advancements to stop the Scyphozoa.

Aelita tried to keep her distance but was thwarted as she was cornered by Mantas and Bloks. With the Scyphozoa growing ever so close, the horde quickly overwhelmed both Ulrich and Yumi which forced the two to take cover. Yumi threw a fan at the Scyphozoa but a Manta took the hit to allow the Scyphozoa to complete its objective.

The Scyphozoa used its tentacles to hoist Aelita into the air as it began the process of taking her memory. The creature seemed victorious in its task as Aelita's friends could do nothing but watch in horror. However, it was forced to cease its task as a sword struck it thus making it release Aelita.

"Looks like I made it," I said as I jumped off the edge of a nearby cliff and land in front of Aelita. "The Scyphozoa… One of most annoying monster that Xana ever created."

"W-who are you?" Aelita asked as I retrieved my sword.

"That's not important," I answered. "What's more important is that I get you to that tower."

Aelita nodded as she knew that deactivating the tower comes first. I scanned the area and counted about 35 monsters in total but I knew that the Scyphozoa and the 4 Meagtanks would be the most troublesome to defeat.

"I don't believe it," said Jeremie who was in shock. "First, Xana returns and now someone who we don't even know just appears."

"Still, that "someone" just saved Aelita," said Ulrich.

"Yeah, Jeremie," said Yumi. "Besides, I don't think he's working for Xana on the fact that he's protecting Aelita now."

The monsters took aim at me as I stood between Aeltia and the Scyhozoa. I charged at them as they opened but their beams failed to hit me once as I knew their attacked patterns and using my known knowledge of the show to my advantage. Within a few seconds they've fell victim to my blade as only the Scyphozoa and the 4 megatanks remained.

"Awesome," said Odd who had approached the monitor early and witnessed the event. "He took out 30 monsters in just under one minute!"

"N-no way," said Ulrich. "They were getting the better of us and this guy just made them look like push overs!"

Aelita rushed to the tower as I began fighting the 4 Meagtanks while Ulrich and Yumi watched. As Aelita entered the tower both the Scyphozoa and the last surviving Megatank retreated and fled the area.

"Well that was a disappointment," I complained just as Aelita made her made to the interface panel, entering "Aelita. Code: Lyoko". The once activated tower had now been deactivated, thus ending Xana's attack and saving William.

"Return to the past now," said Jeremie as a white bubble enveloped the surrounding area.

_-[Factory-Lab room]-_

"Okay, first off who are you and how did you end up on Lyoko?" Jeremie asked first.

"My name is Manuel Guzman," I answered him in a calm manner. "I do not know how I ended up on Lyoko to begin with. That is something that I wish to know too."

"Do you work for Xana?" William asked.

"Why would I help that pathetic mulitagent program for? Besides one of "Its" monsters attacked me when I first arrive before I encountered your group."

"What are your abilities?" Aelita asked.

"That my dear, I don't know."

"Are you even human? If so then how old are you?" Yumi asked.

"I am 21 and yes, I am Human."

"Where did you learn how to fight?" Ulrich asked. "Did someone teach you?"

"I had no master. I learned to art of combat by watching and imitating others. I learn where ever I can attain a style, whether they be from a movie, book, video game, dance or by simply watching nature."

"That's cool," said Odd. "By the why let me introduce myself, I'm…"

"Odd Della Robbia," I said before he could say his name.

"How did you…"

"I know all of you," I said as I began saying their names. "Your Jeremie Belpois. The one behind is Ulrich Stern. The two on your left are Yumi Ishiyama amd Aelita Franz Schaeffer. Lastly, the two on your right are William Dunbar and of course Odd Della Robbia. Need I say more?"

Everyone remain silent as their surprised expression says it all. They could not believe that a total stranger knew who they were and wondered what else I knew.

"I'll take my leave then," I said as I calmly began walking out of the tower.

"All in favor of Manuel becoming a Lyoko Warrior?" Jeremie asked suddenly. I stopped before I could exit the tower, waiting to hear their answer. Everyone was hesitant for a brief moment but slowly they all raised their hands. "It's unanimous. I'll connect you to the materialization program."

Jeremie typed in the commands before he and his friends went down to the scanners, waiting nervously. As the doors opened while the smoke cleared, I appeared and stepped out the scanner.

As I stepped out, I noticed the changes to my appearance. I had on a black waist coat with red trimmings with a blue shirt underneath. I also had on a black pants with a bit of blue on the back with a violet belt around my waist while wearing a pair of black studd boots. Lastly, I had on a pair of black fingerless gloves on while wearing a set of glasses which made my now heterochromia eyes (two different colored eyes) stand out. Strangely my hair had a mixture of colors with the front and top being black as the back and sides were red. My appearance in this world, unfortunately, went noticed as I saw that Team Lyoko were staring me and decided to let their opinions be known.

"He's ripped!" Odd, Ulrich, William and Jeremie exclaimed in unison as they got close to get a better look of me.

"And handsome too," both Yumi and Aelita whispered as they both sported a light blush upon their cheeks.

'Something's not right,' I thought to myself. 'This appearance isn't mine but why do I feel that I'm someone else? What does it mean?'

As questions began flow through my mind, I felt a terrible unshakable feeling that there was more than meets the eye and for better or worse, these days of conflict and discovery will profoundly influence the fate of this and those who live in it.

(OOC; I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you wish to know what the main character looks like then please head over to photobucket and find My profile Eme_047 to see the pics of the character and his Lyoko form. Please be patient as I'm working on the chapter.)


	3. Chapter 02

_Chapter 02: The Thing of misguided Science_

It was a child of destruction… the bringer of death chaos… a true embodiment of war.

Within its crystalline prison, It watched as endless streams of information pass while It worked with a small holoscreen. The data It sought would come to It instantly and would rapidly deceiver the hidden codes before storing them into its memory bank, never making an error.

Its name was E113. Ten others have been produced and been unleashed into the system but have failed their task that were set before them. If ever fate decided, E too would be given a task.

E knew full well about the meaning of both life and death within its intricacies. It knew the look, the smell and sound of things it had never encountered yet its world was limited to its prison.

E itself, however, was its own prison. It had always lived within itself… it spoke little to none… It yearn for the world that laid beyond its prison, beyond itself but ironically it would strike fear to it.

E had always been led to believe that the world frighten it is because "they" had programmed it to do so. From "them", E had received its existence. This type of possibility had always confused E for it not understood why "they" created it to be…dysfunctional, as 'they" had searched for perfection within all things.

However, there was one thing that had always given E hope. Somewhere within the outside world, not beyond the distance, within the system, is another like it. Another who was not "their" creation, but likewise afflicted.

E was never alone. It knew that if it could meet its equal, then E would better understand its existence… and finally be free of its suffering.


	4. Chapter 03

_Chapter 03: A Fateful arrival_

_[The world Network)]_

Slowly… Everything started ever so slowly. He was aware that he was no longer meant to exist among the living and yet he continued to do so. He searched his mind for the reason but none came to him… that is until he realized his where about. A hard feeling of fear and confusion began pulsing through his mind, as he felt himself within the network once more.

"Waldo Schaeffer. Please to meet'cha." Said a voice.

"Whose there?" Franz Hopper asked as he looked around the area.

"We are the masters of the network… we've recovered a small but complex copy of your data within the system. We are here to offer you a second chance."

"Why? For what reason?"

"None. A game is all we ask for."

"A game?"

"Yes. Everyone loves a challenge. And What better challenge than a game?"

Franz Hopper stood silent, however, the silence would not remain. "Very well… I agree to your terms. What should I call you?"

"Ah yes. All players should have a name… let's see… Deum! You can address us as Deum."

[Kadic Junior High School- courtyard]

"D-dammit," I panted as I held my left arm which was badly slashed. "H-how can I b-beat a clone that utilize the control of dematerialization?"

Several feet away from me, with fists clutched tight, my clone glared. It had already been a half hour and so far I've done little to no damage to my evil counterpart. The one thing I've done was nothing more than delay my clone while Jeremie and others went to the factory to end the attack.

Hell bent on ending my existence, my clone churn its hand above his head, concentrating all of its energy into its attack.

I picked up a steel pipe that had been sticking out against the wall and placed it upright in my hand. A small but brief wind blew up skyward as we both prepared to strike. From the palm of his hand, a powerful concentrated beam was unleashed at full force as I charged at my counterpart.

A few minutes… for a few minutes the area surrounding us went into a complete silence as we both stood still in our current position after we both declared our attack. Blood began to drip from my side uncontrollably as I fell to the floor. With a sadistic upon his face, my dark counterpart looked over to me.

"I failed," whispered my clone as he slowly devirtualized. A small smile came across my face as I lost consciousness, just as the time reversion took place.

[Hermitage (earlier that day/time reversion]

It has been ten weeks. For ten grueling weeks since I've first arrive into this world I felt as if I was tempting death itself.

Each passing day, the attacks would worsen as the conflict with Xana continues. However, for some reason I felt that something was amiss. I felt as if Xana was somehow studying me, testing me through its despite having been nearly killed in most of the attacks. But why? Why test me? For what purpose does that serve?

With thoughts running through my head, I quickly left the Hermitage and made my way to the factory but as I did I made a grave mistake. I had failed to notice a figure that was watching me all this time.

[Kadic Junior High School- Dormitory Building_ Jeremie's room]

"Guys, we need a plan," said Jeremie. "I know that Manuel has everything covered but I suggest that each of us should find…"

"Oh come on Jeremie," Odd complained. "There's nothing to worry about and besides Xana hadn't been able to do any serious damage for like ten weeks. So why worry?"

"I have to go with Odd on this on," said William."Manuel can handle anything that Xana throw at him better than we ever could."

Yumi sighed. "Manuel maybe good but he's still human. After all, he nearly died in the last attack."

"Yumi's right," said Aelita. "and we also don't know what his lyoko abilities are or the risk that comes with them."

"Speaking of Manuel, I wonder how he is?" Ulrich wondered.

"Maybe we should check if he's at the factory. He might be there already studying." With an agreement from each of them they headed to the factory. However, as they all left the room, a strange image appeared upon the screen of Jeremie's computer.

"Manuel…" it whispered.

[The Factory- Factory Floor]

I waited at the elevator as each passing second felt like minutes. I have to admit that I always dislike to wait as well as keeping others waiting but I knew that I mustn't let my guard, not even for a second. After all, at any given moment Xana may strike.

'I should try to relax,' I thought to myself. 'After all, I've been watching Code Lyoko for a while so it should be easy to predict Xana's next attack... I hope.'

As I continued to wait, I suddenly felt a cold chill crawl up my spine as without warning the elevator began to move on its own as the shadows within the factory shifted wildly. Strange voices began to break the silence by speaking with a bizarre tone while I fell to my knees as a terrible pain filled my chest. My heart began to beat faster and faster which each painful throbbing hurting more than the last.

'What in the hell…' I thought to myself when everything suddenly stopped as the elevator door opened. I struggled to my feet, staggering toward the elevator. As I looked inside, however, I felt the hair on the back of neck rise up. "No way. Why is she…"

Before I could utter another word, a dark presence fell upon the factory. The feeling of malice and rage had quickly over taken the factory. From within the shadows a voice said, "The time has come at last…. Manuel."

To Be Continued.


End file.
